Don't Smile 'Til December? Humor in the Classroom

05:30: GALEET COHEN: The role of humor in the classroom is essential because kid are funny, and you have to spend at least six hours a day in your classroom with them, so you should be having a good time.
05:43: GALEET COHEN [in class]: PS, there’s no TCE in this lab. You’re not getting cancer. Just so you know. It’s low stakes.
STUDENT 2: But I really like carcinogens.
STUDENTS: [Laughter]
GALEET COHEN [in class]: So [laughs], you get them everywhere, you don’t need to get them here. So.
05:57: GALEET COHEN: It helps to diffuse a situation with a joke to let a student know that you see something or that you know something, and not instantly respond with detention. I don’t have rules posted in my room or consequences posted in my room because if you do that, you are stuck going down this stated line of rules and consequences, and if instead you address a situation with humor, most of the time a student is just testing you and wants to know if see what’s going on.
06:24: GALEET COHEN [in class]: Double click. Again. Worst double-clicker ever. Can I try?
STUDENT 3: Yeah.
GALEET COHEN [in class]: Maybe it just –
STUDENT 3: See, it doesn’t listen to me.
GALEET COHEN [in class]: Oh, it’s okay, it’s fine.
06:34: GALEET COHEN: If you play with them, they’ll play with you, and it’s the only way to get them to unravel enough to let them know – let you know what’s going on in their lives, and that’s the most important thing you can do.

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